Fire apparatus for oil-tanks.



O. J. HOLMES.

- FIRE APPARATUS FOR OIL- TANKS. I

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-2| I913.

Patented J une' 8, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 0K1. HOLMES.

FI'RE APPARATUS FOR OIL TANKS. APPLICATION mm SEPT.2. 1913.

1,142,520. PatentedJune 8,1915.

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FIRE APPARATUS FOR OIL-TANKS.

ratus tor Gil-Tanks, of which the following is a specificationcontaining .a full, clear, and exact description, reference being. hadto'the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relatesto improvements in fire apparatus for oil tanks,andthe object of my invention is to construct a fire apparatusespecially designed for use in connection with oil tanks, whichcomprisesa cover for the oil which will rise and fall with the oil and isarranged to at all times expose a. minimum of oil surface, and furtherconstructed so that there will be a minimum of space between the coverand the oil surface in order to minimize the generation of gases, andassociated with such a cover is a plurality of extinguishers which willrise and fall with the oil and are so an ranged that they will bethermally operated.

With the above purposes in view my invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinaftermore fully described, pointed out in the claims and illustrated by theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows in elevation a fragmentof a tank equipped with my improved fire apparatus; Fig. 2 is asectional plan of an oil tank showing the relative arrangement of thefire extinguisher. and the internal braces of the tank; Fig. 3 is a planof one of the elements of my improved cover; Fig. 4 is a sectionalelevation .of one of the 'elements of the cover; Fig. 5 is a detailelevation partly in section showing one of the extinguishers employed inmy apparatus;

and Fig. 6 is a plan of the extinguisher shown in Fig. 5.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings: 7 designates the oiltank having internal bracing structure 8.

- 9 and 10 designate fire extinguisherseach of which is arran ed tofloat in the body of oil and each o the ty es shown is ar ranged tocontain a frangi le bottle 11 provided with a gravity-actuated means 12for breaking the bottle. Each of the gravityactuated means is normallyheld elevated by means of a fusible use 13. In the one Specification ofLettersflatent.

r tested June a, rats.

rlppticstlumflled September 2, were. seen lameness.

form of extinguisher designated 9 thereare eyesl l seouredto theextinguisher arranged to ride over guide rods 15 extended nerticallythroughout the height of the tank. In the form designated 10 there is'arope 16 extended over direction pulleys 17 to the exterior of the tankand each rope carries at its outer end a balancing weightl'l. These-eatinguishers are arranged in such manner relative to the bracingstructure 8 that they may move withont coming in contact with thebraces, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

19 designates the floating cover for the oil. This cover is preferablymade up of .a plurality of hollow bodies'20 convexo-convex in crosssection provided with annular flanges 21.

Each of the fire extinguishers is provided w1th a tube 22 incommunication with the interior of the extinguisher and extending to andterminating in a cap 23 provided with a plurality of radially arrangednozzles 24.

In the practical operation of my improved apparatus, assuming theelements of the apparatus to be set for use as described, it is obviousthat by reason of the buoyancy of the extinguishers as well as thecover, the extinguishers and cover will always be in their most eficientpositions.

By reason of the fixed guides for both forms of extinguishers it IS-obvious that they may rise and fall without coming in. contact with thebracing structure within the tank and, by reason of the cover being madeup of a plurality of hollow bodies, it

is obvious that the cover as a whole may rise and lower above and belowsaid bracing structures and be in operative or efficient condition afterhaving passed the bracing structure.

In the event of fire in the upper portion of the tank the fusible link13 will melt and permit the gravity-actuated means 12 to break thebottle 11, thereby setting the extinguisher in operation.

The form of extinguishers designated as 9 will discharge their fireextinguishing gases into the zone next adjacent the surface of the oilwhile the form of extinguishers designated 10 will discharge their gasesinto the zone next adjacent the surface of the oil for a limited periodof time only when, due to the releasing of the contents of theextinguishers and the consequent loss of ice weight, the balance Weight18 connected therewith will cause the extinguishers to be drawn upwardlytoward the top of the tank, thereby discharging the fire extinguishinggases throughout the tank to extinguish the bracing structures which areusually made of Wood. By this arrangement it is obvious that the coveris of such nature to at all times expose a minimum of oil surface andthat the extinguishers have sufficient capacity and are of such natureas to automatically extinguish the fires in the tank above the oilsurface.

It claim:

1. In a fire apparatus for oil tanks, a plurality of hue ant fireextinguishers, a thermally contro led discharge for the contents of eachextinguisher, and a counterbalance for certain of the extinguishers,whereby certain of the extinguishers will discharge their contents, whenthermally released, into thevicinity of the oil surface, and other ex-Lmaseo tinguishers will be elevated by the counter balances as theircontents are discharged.

2. In a fire apparatus for oil tanks, buoyant cover for the oil for thepurpose cf minimizing the gasifying of the oil, a buoyant fireextinguisher, arranged to rise and fall as the level of the oil varies,a thermally controlled discharge for the contents of the extinguisher,arranged in the immediate vicinity of and above said cover, and a secondlike constructed extinguisher having a counterbalance arranged to causethe extinguisher to rise in the tank as its contents are discharged.

in testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

OSCAR J. HOLMES.

Witnesses E. L. lVALLAon, E. M. HARRINGTON.

